The Traitors Part 47

On the steps he stopped short. He was face to face with the man whom, more than any other, at that moment he desired to meet. It was Brand.

CHAPTER x.x.xIX

"At last," Brand exclaimed, with a gesture of relief. "I have been looking for you everywhere."

Ughtred glanced round. They were surrounded by a considerable crowd.

"You have something important to say to me, Brand?"

"Yes."

Ughtred motioned to an orderly.

"Procure a fresh horse for Mr. Brand," he said. "You will ride back to camp with me, Brand. We shall be away from this rabble then."

It was not until they were absolutely alone that Brand spoke.

"Your Majesty," he said, "Nicholas of Reist is a traitor."

The King turned in his saddle.

"I cannot believe that, my friend," he said. "Reist has quarrelled with me personally, and has resigned his command in the army. But that does not make him a traitor."

"Perhaps not," Brand answered, drily, "but a.s.sociation with Domiloff does."

Ughtred started. His face and his tone alike gave evidence of his unbelief. He even smiled.

"You are mistaken, my dear Brand," he said. "Reist is a patriot and a n.o.bleman. He would never stoop to league himself with such sc.u.m."

"I presume that my eyes are sufficient evidence," Brand answered, quietly. "I myself saw Reist and Domiloff meet last night at a low _cafe_ in Theos. I overheard part of their conversation."

The King's face was as the face of a man who has received a blow. For a moment or two he remained silent.

"They may have met by accident," he said, at last, looking half-fearfully towards Brand. "Domiloff may have proposed things to Reist, but he would not listen, no, he surely would not listen."

"You are mistaken," Brand declared, grimly. "He met Domiloff by appointment, and he listened with interest to all that he had to say."

"How do you know this, Brand?" the King asked.

"I have been watching the place for some time--and Domiloff. It ought to be burned. It is a hotbed of treason and Russian intrigue. I saw the meeting and heard part of the conversation. Unfortunately I was discovered."

"You were discovered?" Ughtred repeated.

"And Domiloff put a bullet through my hat," Brand continued. "I escaped, but it was a close thing. Since then I have had an opportunity of appreciating how widespread have been Domiloff's snares. My life has been attempted twice, and I have been misled by forged letters as to your whereabouts. I have been to Althea and Morania in search of you."

"And you heard some part of what pa.s.sed between Domiloff and Reist?"

"Yes. Domiloff offered Reist the crown of Theos and Russian intervention in the present war."

"And Russian protection afterwards, I suppose," Ughtred remarked, bitterly.

"That is, of course, what is behind it all," Brand a.s.sented.

The face of the King grew stern and thoughtful. There was silence between the two men for some time.

"If any other man had told me of this," Ughtred said at last, "frankly I should not have believed them. It was Nicholas of Reist who was always warning me of Russia and Russian intrigue. He seemed to read Domiloff like a book."

"The quarrel which you spoke of between yourself and Reist," Brand said, thoughtfully--"was it serious?"

"It was forced upon me," Ughtred answered. "The Countess most unfortunately came to my room last night by the secret pa.s.sage to warn me against--well, Brand, I do not see why I should not be frank with you--against an alliance with Sara Van Decht."

"She came--of her own will--without any suggestion from you?" Brand asked.

"Of course!" Ughtred answered. "I may not be a model of etiquette, but I should never dream of soliciting, of welcoming an interview from even so old a friend as the Countess of Reist under such circ.u.mstances. Well, in the midst of our conversation, which I was doing my best to curtail, her brother arrived unexpectedly from Solika and found us together. He chose to consider her presence in my room compromising, and demanded that I should marry her. After that--chaos.

As I told you, Reist has given up his command and deserted me. I believe that I have promised to fight him after the war is over."

"And the Countess?" Brand asked.

The King smiled bitterly.

"She too seems to be my enemy, though why I cannot imagine. She, at any rate, can bear no ill-will to me over that unfortunate affair of the betrothal cup, for she has told me plainly that she loves another man."

Brand's horse seemed to stumble, and his face was invisible for a moment as he stooped down to pat her neck. When he looked up there was a curious gleam in his eyes.

"Your Majesty," he said, "I am very sorry that this has happened. I believe that Domiloff is working very hard to induce the Duke of Reist to join in his plot against you."

The King looked sorrowfully away.

"Nicholas was my one friend here," he said. "I have only my soldiers now. G.o.d grant that their lives may not be frittered away--that we may not lose by treason what we gain in battle."

They talked for a while of the campaign. Brand, from his brief visit to Althea and Morania, was already conversant with the plan of operations. An old war correspondent, the muttering of the guns was like music to him.

"You should be able to hold your positions for a fortnight," he declared, "and by that time Theos will be ready for a siege. I see that you are making preparations for a retreat there."

"The women and children are being sent away every hour," the King answered. "I know that my men here are staunch, and so far as they are concerned the Turks will find nothing but a heap of smoking ruins when they enter Theos. It is not the actual fighting which troubles me, Brand."

Brand looked into the King's anxious face, and found there some clue to his doubtful words. He pointed with his riding whip to the distant city.

"It is treachery which you fear?" he remarked softly.

Ughtred nodded.

"I will tell you," he said, "there is something going on there which I cannot understand. It is Domiloff's work. I am sure of that. At the meeting of the Council last night I seemed to be somehow conscious of a general atmosphere of intrigue. There is something going on behind my back. Doxis plainly hinted that it would be better to make terms than waste the whole country by an impossible resistance, and when I asked him 'terms with whom?' he was silent. We know that the Turks have no terms to offer save unconditional surrender. What did he mean, then?"